Wonderful and Heartbreaking

• Book: Under a Blood Red Sky
• Location: Russia
• Author: Kate Furnivall

Review Author: Anne Cater

The story is set in 1930s Communist Russia – and starts in one of the Labour Camps that house thousands of woman taken prisoner by Stalin’s Army. I’m ashamed to say that I had no prior knowledge of this period in history and was shocked to read of the atrocities that happened during this time.

Furnivall paints a very stark, bleak picture of the grim Labour Camps and of the terrible conditions suffered by the prisoners. The scarcity of basic needs and the whole regimentation of the camps, and in fact the villages and towns outside of the camp come to life and some of the descriptions are heart breaking. The story unfolds as Sofia makes her escape from the camp in order to find Anna’s love Vasily. As she makes her way as a fugitive across Russia, the grim reality of life under Stalin for ordinary people is made clear. The impact on small town and villages of the propaganda that they are constantly fed, the mistrust and fear and paranoia that develops between friends and families.

The story totally absorbed me and it was another one that I hated to put down – part historical, part romance and a very light touch of magic all mix together to make a extremely entertaining and informative read.

I think Joanne Harris fans would enjoy this, I’m certainly looking forward to reading The Russian Concubine now.

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